SR's controversial statement rouses insightful discussion...

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...potentially. Wishful thinking?

From his year end post etc:

(Can I just say en passant and apropros of almost nothing that the “next rap city” chase seems a wee bit fatigued at this point: slight variation on post-electro diaspora beats’n’bass + excessively self-confident chaps shouting more socially-regressive nonsense on stock set of themes (ego, ice, ass, rims, etc) = changeless same, ultimately.)

OMG!!!

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:42 (twenty years ago)

Simon Reynolds in stating the obvious shockah!!!

― RTW, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:46 (twenty years ago)

5,000,000 circuitious new answers by the end of time

― cancer prone fat guy (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:46 (twenty years ago)

The solution is obvious -- Deej must rap about tariff controls over atonal sitars to save us all.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:53 (twenty years ago)

"chaps"

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:54 (twenty years ago)

http://www.westonsinternet.co.uk/images/2022267.jpg

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/75/39/8933599Chaps_m-resized200.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

http://www.bucklesofestes.com/images/827f.jpg

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:56 (twenty years ago)

those chaps are excessively self-confident

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:56 (twenty years ago)

jess please delete this thread

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Sorry Steve, I didnt realize those were your chaps.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 15:59 (twenty years ago)

Risking a serious-ish response:

SR's mistake here: assuming his anthropology/history grail of progress is whats driving the "chase". His complaint is about as valid as complaining that the rules of a sport don't change from season to season, even though different teams win. The game doesn't change, the players do.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:02 (twenty years ago)

I thought you weren't supposed to hate the players.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:03 (twenty years ago)

http://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/93844/200.jpg

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

are all chaps buttless? perhaps saying they are so is a redundancy.

― titty sanskrit (sanskrit), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

TOM OTM. It's kind of like Nick Hornby suddenly complaining that "Arsenal is boring" innit?

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:04 (twenty years ago)

http://www.techcentralstation.com/images/20011226-reynolds-wrap-large.gif

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:05 (twenty years ago)

sometimes they are. oh well. (xpost)

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:06 (twenty years ago)

"diaspora"

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:08 (twenty years ago)

x-post

From blissblog-

"raptures
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Worn Copy"

He sure loves his Ariel Pink though.

Deej--Did you see the debate on the Status in the Hood comment board re rap lyrics and economic class, Jeezy and the Clipse on drug dealing etc.

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:11 (twenty years ago)

"wee"

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:11 (twenty years ago)

I'm not sure I got the name of that Village Voice blog(by Breihan) right-- gotta go...

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:15 (twenty years ago)

sr is trolling.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I think so - was it the one where he defended the pfork list? If so, I agree what Al ('governmentnames') posted.

I think SR is perceptive here in the sense that there isn't anything really new coming up - most of the good albums this year and last came from guys who came up in the late 90s and earlier - hypnotized minds, cash money, no limit, 50 Cent, Trick Daddy. It sorta feels like the end of a cycle, with a few new names (Jeezy) but not much of the musical scizophrenia that existed in the late 90s and early 00s.

But yeah I think I reject the 'stock set of themes' thing too though. At best its a weariness that comes from 5+ years of hearing the same players.

I donno thats just what I'm thinking...

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:34 (twenty years ago)

in simons defense 90% of crunk/hyphy/screw/reggaeton/etc music is irritating bullshit (& the best dudes are still the best no matter what hood they came up from) but i dont really give a fuck what some old british raver thinks about rap in my city anyway

― $#@!@!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:46 (twenty years ago)

xpost w/ deej - theres a whole gang of new talent out this year but unfortunately the payola mags endorse major label garbage they get paid for & rap blog herbs focus on old dudes their newjack asses just heard about

― $#@!@!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:48 (twenty years ago)

But would Simon ever say grime or whatever type of rock subgroup Ariel Pink fits in is just a "slight variation on a stock set of themes= changeless same, ultimately.")

I got issues with the state of rap too, but is he giving more of a free ride to the other genres(I have not re-read everything he stated about them, but i do not recall him being as tough)

And yea as Tom says, "The game doesn't change, the players do." But it sometimes seems like that certain players in certain years can at least make it feel like that things are changing.

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Of course only $#@!@! knows the hot new players who can change the game and there's a conspiracy against revealing their names! Ha Ha

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 16:54 (twenty years ago)

The “next rock city” chase seems a wee bit fatigued at this point: slight variation on post-blues diaspora chords’n’beats + excessively self-absorbed chaps whining more socially-regressive nonsense on stock set of themes (girls, drugs, being in a band) = changeless same, ultimately.

― Excelsior Syndrum (noodle vague), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:02 (twenty years ago)

Yeah ethan I agree there's always lots of new shit worth hearing, I didn't mean to imply 334mobb/boosie/weavah/crime mob/trillville etc etc from the past couple years are nothing, but its like you said when we talked about chicago rap, the 'cream rises' and if we're talking about really popular music then yeah there aren't that many new rap artists hitting the charts like there were in the late 90s/early 00s.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:07 (twenty years ago)

...whatever the reason.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:09 (twenty years ago)

but remember the 90s were full of wack rappers all over the charts too, aint like all them golden era classics went double plat or whatever

― %$#@!!!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:16 (twenty years ago)

what the hell does 'status is hood' even mean?

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:28 (twenty years ago)

its a destinys child quote/jokey "hey guys, im white!" whiteboy confessional

― $#@!!$!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:30 (twenty years ago)

confessional/endorsement

― $#@!$$!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:30 (twenty years ago)

Yeah not to put a golden tinge on the era, there's always plenty of shit out there. Maybe its just that the late 90s was when I started really paying attention to rap. There was a lot more underground shit that I liked back then, too.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 18:54 (twenty years ago)

I'm trying to imagine how someone could say its tired NOW.

― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 18:56 (twenty years ago)

I mean either you're above this kind of generalization or you made it 10 years ago.

― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 18:58 (twenty years ago)

that said, Can I just say en passant and apropros of almost nothing that the “next rap city” chase seems a wee bit fatigued at this point is a delightfully fruity way to say it.

― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:00 (twenty years ago)

dude i can name a whole mess of good underground shit out now, plenty more than the wack ages from about 2001 - 2003... you know how many times ive rewound that army of the pharaohs cut??!!?

― $#@!$!$, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:00 (twenty years ago)

yea, yea, yea and like you said the "payola mags.... & rap blog herbs" won't acknowledge the whole mess of good artists....

this is a "wee bit fatigued"

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:23 (twenty years ago)

like you said the "payola mags.... & rap blog herbs" won't acknowledge the whole mess of good artists....

How shocking.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:28 (twenty years ago)

haha are you guys actually gonna argue that XXL featuring some g-unit combination on the cover, yet again, isn't getting a little tired?

― cancer prone fat guy (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:31 (twenty years ago)

TONY YAYO: THE COMPLETE STUDIO DIARIES

― cancer prone fat guy (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:32 (twenty years ago)

70% of rap blogs should just come together under an unoffcial dipset webring banner and be done with it

― cancer prone fat guy (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:33 (twenty years ago)

the jim jones home companion

― cancer prone fat guy (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 19:34 (twenty years ago)

70% of rap blogs should just come together under an unoffcial dipset webring banner and be done with it

rofl parade

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:10 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I'm talking more late 90s when I think of underground shit I liked.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:17 (twenty years ago)

...But what underground shit is good now? I know you like GZA/Muggs and Little Brother and that one Army of the Pharoahes song...

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:20 (twenty years ago)

Can we have a word filter to replace the phrase "Simon Reynolds" with "man like Simon Reynolds"? Thanks.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:26 (twenty years ago)

Hahhaa holy shit People under the stairs fan artwork!

http://www.putsonline.co.uk/gallery/fan/fan.htm

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:27 (twenty years ago)

http://www.putsonline.co.uk/gallery/fan/kkbrbig.jpg

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:28 (twenty years ago)

x-post

Pitchfork,Cam, Clipse and Dalek and more in the comments...

http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/statusainthood/archives/2005/12/pitchforks_year.php
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:30 (twenty years ago)

haha are you guys actually gonna argue that XXL featuring some g-unit combination on the cover, yet again, isn't getting a little tired?

again, the problem is with the word "getting"

― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:39 (twenty years ago)

RAP IN MACHO MATERIALISM ATOP AVANT-GARDE BEATZ SHOCKAH

― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:41 (twenty years ago)

i think reynolds is OTM

― okok, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:43 (twenty years ago)

How soon we forget Tha Dogg Pound.

― Zwan (miccio), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:43 (twenty years ago)

reynolds is talking about the 'rap city chase' though, not necessarily just the music. and hes right, the souths various regions have been hyped, no ones been talking about anything new, theyve pretty much stayed to the tried and tested and the depressingly calculated, now the bay area is tipped for big things, and theyre just talking about the same thing as well. i dont have a problem with rappers talking about rims, ice, ass etc, but does it have to be so predictable?

― okok, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:51 (twenty years ago)

http://myspace-701.vo.llnwd.net/00181/10/70/181590701_m.jpg
http://mirrorimageorigin.collegepublisher.com/media/paper538/stills/88si82at.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007OP108.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
http://www.hiphopsite.com/images/ITEMS/dreddykruger-wutangmeetsindie.jpg
http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/covers/HC300112.jpg
boss hogg barbarians - celph destruction (real audio)
http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/bb/59/540664-music-resized200.jpg
http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/covers/TR160LP.jpg
http://www.unlimitedtracks.com/images/prophetix_new.gif
http://www.heavycontact.com/artists/bluescholars/BlueScholarsCover.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00080Z610.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/2for10_1879_62951781
http://hiphophavoc.webhost4life.com/reviews/Casual-Album-CoverSmall.jpg
http://www.jedi-mind-tricks.com/images/discography/blood_and_ashes200.jpg
http://www.altnet.com/partners/koch/333196_dmp_them_06_01.jpg
http://www.artofrhyme.com/images/juju.jpg

― $#@!$!$, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:54 (twenty years ago)

god those records suck

― okok, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:57 (twenty years ago)

so much for 'scenius > genius'!

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:59 (twenty years ago)

Haha I don't know about half of those, a couple of them are old (isn't that Wildchild rec from like 2 yrs ago?) and I don't like the rest. Seriously, Casual?! Pharcyde? A Premier mixtape? Where's yr love for Big Shug :(

Nah I'm sure some of them are alright, I donno that they make the case for 'underground rap is hot right now' though.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:02 (twenty years ago)

I take it from that cover the Blue Scholars are from Seattle. THE NEXT BIG GEOGRAPHIC LOCALE FOR RAP?

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:03 (twenty years ago)

next? i believe you are forgetting someone: sir mix-alot.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:04 (twenty years ago)

strongo who was arguing that XXL isn't tired?

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:06 (twenty years ago)

But Kelefa's largely happy:

NY Times Critic's Notebook: Set to Put New Orleans Rap Back on Top
Author: KELEFA SANNEH

Instead of Fresh-made beats, "Tha Carter II" is full of unexpected syllables and punch lines: "I will put dem body on chill like glac-i-ers/ Gracias, I'm craziest/ It's obvious, going against me is atheist." And near the end, he finds an unlikely replacement for his old producer: Robin Thicke, son of the Canadian actor and songwriter Alan, contributes a woozy, bluesy highlight called "Shooter."

Lil Wayne's voice, like his flow, keeps getting better, too. He can half-sing a melody like 50 Cent or emit a low, slow groan like Young Jeezy; perhaps he would like to remind us, and them, that he was doing it first, and doing it before he was old enough to drive.

One thing you won't hear on "Tha Carter II" is the one thing you might expect: a somber but hopeful song about the storm that destroyed the neighborhood he's still bragging about. When asked, he will talk about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. He will talk about how the displacement has destroyed family traditions. "You ain't getting another good holiday," he said. "That ain't happening for some years." And he will talk about how displacement has also "brought the wrong people together," stranding bitter enemies in too-small towns. But he says he didn't want this CD to be dominated by the hurricane. "When I get behind that mike, I got a whole 'nother mind frame," he said, then added, "I rap about what they wanna hear." He saves the hurricane commentary for journalists, he said. He has found that it's a good idea to tell them what they want to hear, too.

It's sometimes strange to hear Lil Wayne still rhyming about choppers (guns) and dope boys and the mean streets of the old New Orleans. Then again, considering the year he's had, this may be the only sane response.

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:08 (twenty years ago)

well alot of that shit is contexual from hanging out w/ ATL underground dudes!!! i mean i dont jam prophetix on my own time (tho eddie meeks is cool) but when your job is to listen to major label crunk bullshit and shitty wannabe trap or die demos all day sometimes you just wanna hear new york underground rap

― $#@!$#!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:10 (twenty years ago)

anyone ever hear detlef schrempf's grime album?

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:10 (twenty years ago)

kelefah is always fucking happy. he loves it all. everything! hes the happiest man in print media

― okoko, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:10 (twenty years ago)

but lots of that shit i really do love - did yall play the celph track?!!?!!?!!

― $#@!$#!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:11 (twenty years ago)

haha i love how rock critics will trust me on any wack boring mediocre southern rap but if theres the chance a white person might be fuckin w/ it they get all dismissive

― $#@!$$!!, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:16 (twenty years ago)

seriously deej after how much jizz you spilled on the mike jones album you cant believe id be jammin casual????

― $#!@$!!$, Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:18 (twenty years ago)

I still like Mike Jones more than Casual.

You know I fuck with indie rap white people like. (The secret of course is that white people like all rap, including street shit.) I like that Lootpack album. I haven't listened to it in a while though. I'm not sure if I like it more than Mike Jones or not.

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 01:07 (twenty years ago)

See up here the Chicago press is still on the whole 'x group incorporates LIVE INSTRUMENTS' thing so TRAP-HOP (pfork meme!) doesn't really come up. I mean, there's plenty of Chicago street rap, it just doesnt get any press coverage compared to other stuff (Qualo, Outerlimitz, Typical Cats etc.)

http://myspace-748.vo.llnwd.net/00142/84/79/142629748_l.jpg

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 01:15 (twenty years ago)

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